Retroreflective trim is often used in or provided on the outer layer of garments such as fire fighter garments, construction worker garments, road and rail worker garments and jogging suits. Such garments may be referred to as high visibility safety garments. The reason for providing the retroreflective trim is to reflect available light in dark environments so as to enhance the visibility of the garment to which the trim is applied as well as the wearer of the garment.
In some circumstances law mandates that individuals must wear high visibility garments incorporating retroreflective trim material when engaged in certain activities in adverse light conditions or even in light conditions that are not adverse. Such laws often require high visibility safety garments be worn by people in situations where they may be exposed to hazards from moving plant or equipment, motor vehicles, trains etc.
National and international standards are applicable to retroreflective trim used in relation to the aforementioned garments. Such standards specify various minimum requirements for high visibility safety garments and for trim material used in relation to such garments. For example, retroreflective trim applied used in relation to high visibility garments or other objects may be required to meet minimum threshold requirements for visibility, retroreflectivity and other physical performance properties such as abrasion resistance and wear resistance.
The stringent requirements of the standards applicable to retroreflective trim have meant that existing retroreflective trim is formed as a continuous non-permeable, non-perforated sheet which is not breathable. A problem with existing retroreflective trim is that it does not easily permit the transfer of heat or vapour from perspiration emanating from the wearer of a garment incorporating the retroreflective trim. Accordingly, the wearer of the garment is subjected to a build up of heat and vapour within the garment resulting in stress to the wearer. This problem is significant given that while wearing high visibility retroreflective garments the wearers are frequently engaged in strenuous physical activity or are subjected to warm environments.
Another crucial requirement of retroreflective trim is that the retroreflective component, which is usually a retroreflective coating applied to a substrate, must be strongly bound to the underlying substrate. This is so that the retroreflective trim can meet standards requiring the retroreflective component to be resistant to abrasion resulting from when a garment incorporating the retroreflective trim is worn or washed and from general wear and tear. In fact, this property of the retroreflective trim is crucial to its ability to meet standards applicable to such materials. This is because although a retroreflective trim may initially meet the retroreflectivity requirements after a number of wash cycles the adherence of the retroreflective component to the substrate may degrade to the extent that the retroreflective component may separate from the substrate such that the retroreflective trim no longer meets the minimum threshold standards for retroreflectivity.
Previous attempts to provide a breathable retroreflective trim have involved perforating continuous non porous retroreflective trim with perforating needles. However, the perforated retroreflective trim resulting from this process may be insufficient to meet the standards for retroreflective trim such as retroreflectivity, abrasion resistance and wear resistance. The perforated retroreflective trim when used with high visibility garments may not provide adequate breathability and may be ineffective for allowing or enhancing the transport of heat and water vapour emanating from the wearer from within the garment to the external environment outside the garment and ineffective for enhancing the comfort of the wearer. Further, the perforated retroreflective trim may not result in the retroreflective component or coating being strongly bound to the underlying substrate. Perforated trim resulting from using perforating needles may also have poor appearance and quality characteristics and may be relatively inefficient to manufacture.
The above discussion of acts, materials, devices, articles and the like is included in this specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any of these matters are known, form part of the prior art base or are common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention at the priority date of each claim of this application.
Accordingly, there is a need for a breathable retroreflective trim for use with high visibility garments that is sufficient to meet the standards for retroreflective trim such as retroreflectivity and other physical performance properties such as abrasion resistance and wear resistance. There is also a need for a breathable retroreflective trim in which the retroreflective component or coating is strongly bound to the underlying substrate. Furthermore, there is a need for a breathable retroreflective trim that is efficient to produce and that has superior appearance and quality characteristics. There is yet furthermore a need for a method of producing such breathable retroreflective trims.